AWS CEO tells workers to quit if they don't want to come back to the office

Controversial AWS 5-day-per-week policy comes into force soon

News By Ellen Jennings-Trace published 18 October 2024

AWS CEO Matt Garman has apparently hit out at workers unhappy with the company's enforced return to office policy.

Earlier this year, Amazon Web Service (AWS) announced staff would be required to be in-office for 5 days per week, ending its hybrid working policy. Workers were given until January 2 to return to full-time in person work.

Somewhat predictably, this didn’t go down well. Reports emerged that claimed as many as 90% of workers were unhappy with this, and 73% were considering moving jobs - which Garman has now given his blessing to.

But not in a bad way

"If there are people who just don't work well in that environment and don't want to, that's okay, there are other companies around," Garman said, adding the decision was made to allow workers to "invent, collaborate, and be connected."

But compliance to the hybrid work order was fiercely enforced, with some employees who did not adhere to the policy told they were "voluntarily resigning" and were locked out of company systems.

The policy has certainly proved unpopular with some staff who will now lose the benefits of working from home, and will spend more time commuting. But AWS want to make it clear that this is a positive change.

"By the way, I don't mean that in a bad way," he said, adding, "we want to be in an environment where we're working together."

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